Device for delivering yarn for knitting purposes



March 27, 1962 w. MARKERT ET AL 3,026,696

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Filed June 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 f/VVEN TOPS.

14 Name/2 m1 M Stella fen March 27, 1962 w. MARKERT ETAL 3,025,696

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Filed June 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTORS:

OLLIIW ATTORNE' w. MARKERT ETAL v3,026,696

March 27, 1962 DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Filed June 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 /N VEN TOPS H. flarkertua M Steudia ATTORNEB-S March 27, 1962 w. MARKERT ET AL DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Filed June 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N|/EN TOPS L], Marne r2: and H. Si'udi'en ATTOIU ESS March 27, 1962 w. MARKERT ET AL 3,026,696

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Filed June 6, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VE N TOPS.

March 27, 1962 w. MARKERT ETAL DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 6, 1957 INVENTORS: W. Nar er't a; Msteuclfen ATTbRNEBS nited States Patent DEVICE FOR DELIVERING YARN FOR KNITTING PURPOSES Willi Market-t and Werner Steudten, both of Bergzabern, Pfalz, Germany Filed June 6, 1957, Ser. No. 663,972 Claims priority, application Germany June 11, 1956 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-125) This invention relates to a method and device for delivering yarn for knitting purposes, and refers more particularly to a method and means for the relieving of yarn tension as it is being fed to knitting implements of cotton type machines and similar machines.

In machines of this type, the withdrawal of yarn from a spool takes place usually by the direct action of sinkers during the loop sinking procedure, the yarn being supported by a yarn guide.

This procedure creates unequal yarn tension which detrimentally affects the formation of the loops. Furthermore, the yarn can break or become intertwined.

Attempts to eliminate these drawbacks through the use of a yarn brake or the like do not avoid the drawback that the yarn is subjected to strong tension while it is being delivered, so that thin and delicate threads can easily break.

Furthermore, when using this type of yarn delivery, it is not possible to utilize the complete rotation of a machine for the delivery of the yarn.

An object of this invention is the provision of a method and device for delivering yarn for knitting purposes, wherein the drawbacks of prior art constructions are effectively eliminated.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it was found desirable to eliminate the tension of the yarn during its movement from the yarn spool or'yarn cone, toward the yarn guide in such manner that a supply of yarn which is suilicient for forming at least one course of stitches is pulled stepwise from the yarn spool and is placed in the form of waves upon a surface in such manner that this length of yarn is free and unaffected and is readily available for the formation of the course of stitches.

In accordance with the present invention, it was found advisable to employ for the removal and the placing of the yarn, members which engage the yarn and which are operated one after another, said yarn engaging members returning to their initial inoperative positions before the yarn is removed by the knitting elements. When the yarn engaging members return to their initial positions of rest, the yarn lies in the form of waves upon a surface, constituting the yarn storing means. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the yarn engaging members which pull the yarn from the yarn spool are located in such large numbers next to each other that they can be operated in groups in such manner that one or several of the groups remaining in the operative position, due to the resistance exerted upon the yarn which at the time extends in a zig-zag fashion, form a lock, preventing any undesired removal of the yarn. Thus, the necessity of using the yarn brake is eliminated. The yarn engaging members are preferably operated in groups in such manner that while the yarn is pulled off by the knitting elements, one or more groups have returned to their initial positions of rest after the yarn waves have been formed and deposited upon the support, while adjacent groups are located in their effective end positions and the remaining groups are still located in their initial positions of rest and are actuated only after the removal of the yarn delivered by the first mentioned groups. by

3,026,696 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 the knitting elements. Due to this arrangement, a supply of yarn pulled off by the yarn engaging members and deposited in the form of waves can be distributed throughout the entire rotation of the machine. This is an advantage which preserves the yarn effectively while making it possible to increase the number of revolutions of the machine. The yarn engaging members are actuated advantageously in such manner that the withdrawal of the yarn from the yarn spool is begun with those members which are located closest to the usual yarn guide of a knitting machine. The withdrawal takes place in that time period during which the needles form a row of stitches; the withdrawal of the yarn from the yarn carrier is continued by adjacent yarn engaging members during that time period in which a length of yarn lying in the form of untensioned, quiet waves is withdrawn for knitting.

The greater the number of said yarn engaging members, the less damage can happen to the yarn during its removal from the yarn spool, and the greater is the available supply of yarn for the knitting elements; furthermore, then the operation of the yarn engaging members can be better adapted to the different requirements.

In order to avoid the danger that the yarn placed in the form of waves upon the surface will be subjected to the twist effective therein, or that it will be looped or twisted by other influences, a second surface is placed at a short distance from the yarn supporting surface. The two surfaces form a slit in which the yarn is deposited. The surfaces can be made of any desirable material, such as sheet metal, plastic or glass, and they can be formed of individual component parts; for example, they may consist of wires, threads or rods which are placed one next to the other, which may be round or profiled, and which are located close to each other.

The two surfaces are hinged so as to facilitate the threading of the yarn prior to the operation of the machine and make it possible to place the yarn without difficulty. For the same purpose, the upper surface may be provided with a threading slot. The surfaces receive the yarn engaging members in slots which are formed in these surfaces, so that the members can be reciprocated in these slots. If the surfaces are formed by a plurality of adjacent wires, threads, rods, or the like, then the slots for the yarn engaging members are formed by providing sufficient spaces for the members between the adjacent wires, threads, rods and the like.

It is particularly advantageous to form these surfaces by two flat transparent plates which are located one 1 above the other and parallel to each other, thereby forming a narrow slit. The two plates are provided with guide slots containing the yarn engaging members, and the upper plate is provided with a threading slot extending transversely to the first mentioned slot.

The yarn engaging members consist of riders which are mounted upon reciprocating elements, such as rods and wires or cables. The riders are so placed that in the course of their movements in one direction they engage the yarn and pull it with them, thereby removing it from the yarn spool. During the return movement of the riders the yarn is relieved of tension and lies quietly upon the supporting surface. Thus the yarn has no oscillations of its own and cannot transmit any detrimental strains or movements to the following operation step.

It is advantageous to actuate the riders in pairs in opposite directions. In the rest position, the yarn lies substantially in the form of a straight line between the riders. The riders are so set in relation to each other that one rider is located upon one side of the yarn, while the following rider is located upon the opposite side of the yarn. By moving the riders relatively to each other, the thread is placed wave-like, substantially in the form of a sinecurve, between the plates.

It is also possible to move the yarn engaging members during the withdrawal of the thread from the yarn spool in the same direction and not move them in pairs in opposite directions as above suggested. However, then it is necessary to provide an eye or a pin between the riders which will hold the thread during the movement of the riders and thus form a yarn length of wave-like shape.

The riders can be replaced by other yarn withdrawing elements, such as wires, tensioned threads, hooks or the like.

Since only a small amount of force is required for the withdrawal of the yarn from the yarn spool and for placing it in the form of waves, this procedure can be accomplished by a properly directed stream of gas, such as compressed air, or by an electrical charge effective in conjunction with suitably arranged electrical fields.

The riders are driven mechanically through a combination of rigid and bendable elements such as rods and wires. However, the same advantages can be obtained by using driving means which are completely rigid, or by using only bendable or elastic elements, such as wires or chains. Furthermore, the drive for the operative movement of the riders can take place pneumatically, hydraulically, elcctro-mechanically, electrically or electromagnetically.

In the case of a mechanical drive for the riders, they can be reciprocated by an automatic actuating device. However, the drive can also take place in such a manner that when a rider is moved in one direction, a spring or some other elastic element is tensioned and is used to move the rider back to its original position after the initial movement has been completed. In the case of a mechanical drive the movement of the rider is caused advantageously by known technical means such as cams, eccentrics, tumbler discs or the like. In the case of an electro-magnetic drive the operation can be carried out in a particularly simple and etfective'manner by electromagnetically reciprocating the riders which are mounted upon rods, whereby the magnets are actuated in the desired operational rhythm by a current divider which is driven by the machine.

The invention will appear more clearly from the fol lowing detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea having two parallel transparent slotted plates provided with a threading slit and riders operated mechanically'by ecccntrics, wires and cables and returned by means of springs.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the device of the present invention with yarn engaging elements and means for actuating them.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the top plate used for forming a wave-like supply of yarn.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective bottom view on an enlarged scale and broken otf, illustrating the bottom plate of the device of the present invention.

FIGURE-4 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating a portion of the eccentric driving the yarn engaging members.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the device shown in FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a diagram illustrating the method of providing a supply of yarn when the yarn engaging means are used in several groups.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the device of the present invention along the portions of a standard knitting machine.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a yarn P which is pulled from a yarn cone or a spool Y (FIG. 7). The yarn supporting device includes two plates, namely, an upper plate P1 and a lower plate P2 which are separated by a narrow slot or space a. The yarn F emerges from the other side of theplates P1 and P2 and extends to a yarn guide G and thence to the sinkers T of the knitting machine. The section of the yarn extending between the plates P1 and P2 is located between pins or riders R1, R2 etc., which constitute the yarn engaging means; these riders are mounted upon rods Z Z etc., which are connected to and actuated by cables or wires L1, L2 etc. The rods Z Z etc. are resiliently engaged at one of their ends, namely, in the example illustrating they are connected with draw springs.

It is apparent that this resilient connection of the rods Z Z etc., can be substituted by providing a corresponding driving mechanism upon the other side of the rods, so that the rods will be reciprocated automatically.

The riders R1, R2 etc. slide in transverse slots S1, S2 etc., which extend through the plates P1 and P2. The narrow slot a formed between the plates P1 and P2 is provided by suitable spacers or inserts which are not shown in the drawings.

In the position shown in FIGURE 1, the riders R1, R2 etc. are located in their initial inoperative positions, so that the thread F extends substantially in straight lines between the riders within the threading slit SF and upon the lower plate P2; through the operation of the device which will be described hereinafter, the thread F assumes the position illustrated by broken lines in FIGURE 1.

The wires L1 and L2 of adjacent riders R1 and R2 are attached to arms H1 and H2, which are rigidly connected with each other by a sleeve-like member carrying a roller 0. The roller 0 slides upon an edge of a cam or eccentric E1 which is mounted upon a driving shaft W. It is apparent that other riders are connected with similar devices in a similar manner.

It is apparent that when the cam E1 is rotated by the shaft W, the engagement of the roller 0 with the cam E1 will actuate the lever arms H1 and H2, so that these arms will pull the wires L1 and L2, thereby actuating the rods Z Z connected therewith. Thus the riders R1 and R2 will be moved in their slots S1 and S2 in opposite directions, so that the thread F will be engaged by these riders and will be deposited in the form of waves or zigzags in the slot a between the plates P1 and P2. This yarn is withdrawn from the adjacent yarn-spool Y.

It is apparent that adjacent riders will repeat this operation; However, such riders should be actuated at a later time so as not to increase the yarn tension to any substantial extent.

The riders are preferably actuated at the moment when the yarn guide G has assumed its position of rest, that is, before the formation of a course of stitches. In the posi tion of rest the spring of one of the rods Z is under ten sion while the spring of the adjacent rod is devoid of tenson.

It will be noted that only one cam drum is required for each machine. The ratio of the number of cams in relation to the riders is 1:2, two riders being actuated by one cam surface by means of two rods.

The actual number of riders and the extent of their movement which depends upon the length of the slots S1, S2 etc., depends upon the required supply of yarn. However, a slotted double plate P1, P2 belongs to each yarn spool Y. A single cam drum can be used for actuating all riders of all double'plates of one machine.

It is apparent that other means than those shown in the drawing can be used for driving the yarn pulling device of the present invention. By way of example, the illustrated eccentrics can be replaced by other actuating means such as cams, tumbler discs or the like. Furthermore, if necessary a plurality of eccentrics can be used.

The operation of the device is as follows:

FIGURES 1 and 6 illustrate a position of rest of the riders in which the lever arm H1 connected to the rod Z is in its lowermost position. The spring engaging the rod Z is under tension. The lever arm H2 is in its uppermost position and the spring connected to the rod Z is devoid of tension. The yarn inserted into the threading slot SF extends substantially along a straight line (not shown in FIG. 1) and is located between riders, the positions of which are alternately shifted in relation to each other.

A cotton type machine usually requires for the formation of stitches of one row about 140 of the entire rotation of the machine, and during this period no yarn is withdrawn from the yarn spool Y. During this time period the following operations take place in the described mechanism, whereby it has been assumed that a double plate is used for a total of 36 riders and 18 cam surfaces:

The riders R1 and R2 which are mounted upon the rods Z and Z are moved within their slots S1 and S2 from their illustrated inoperative initial positions. They will move through the threading slot SF and will engage and pull the yarn F, thereby withdrawing an additional length of yarn from the yarn spool Y. Depending upon the position of the cam surfaces, this procedure is repeated consecutively by the riders R3 and R4, R5 and R6, R7 and R8 etc. The cam surfaces are of such length that the riders R1 and R2 remain in their operative end posi tions until the riders R7 and R8 have reached these extreme operative positions.

The riders R1 to R8 belonging to the cams E1 to E4 will remain in the operative end positions and thus prevent any undesired withdrawal of the thread.

Only when the cam E5, which actuates the riders R9 and R10, begins to operate, the riders R1 and R2 belonging to the cam E1 will return in their initial inoperative positions. Now the thread P, which was pulled by the riders R1 and R2 from the yarn spool Y, will lie loosely and freely in the form of waves upon the plate P2. This operation is correspondingly repeated by the subsequent pairs of riders. When the cam E9 actuating the riders R17 and R18 begins its movement, the riders R9 and R10 belonging to the cam E5 move to their initial position, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 6. At that time ten loose waves of yarn lie already between the two plates. This is substantially the moment when the knitting of the stitches has been completed and the machine has been rotated to the extent of 140.

Now the yarn guide G carries out its movement for which it has available 220 of the rotation of the machine. The supplyof yarn lying loosely in the form of waves is now withdrawn by the stitch-forming elements T. At the same time the cams E9 to E18 continue to operate and to provide loose waves of yarn which are available to the yarn guide G in a completely loose state, which is devoid of tension.

Thus by withdrawing yarn little by little from the yarn spool Y by yarn engaging members which operate consecutively, it is possible to utilize the entire revolving period of the machine for the withdrawal of the yarn so that the withdrawing of the yarn can be slowed up by about 25% or, reversely, a considerable increase in the speed of rotation of the machine is made possible.

As already stated, the diagram of FIGURE 6 shows the manner in which yarn is withdrawn by a mechanism having 36 riders. FIGURE 6 illustrates the continuing formation of waves in the withdrawn yarn which takes place in groups, and which corresponds to the operational rhythm of the machine. The yarn is introduced to the plates at X and leaves the plates at Y to extend to the yarn guide. The yarn between the riders R1 to R8 extends in loose untensioned waves, since these riders have already returned to their initial inoperative positions. The riders R9 and R10, in the position shown in FIGURE 6, are in the process of moving to their initial positions and have not passed as yet the slot SF between the plates. The riders R11 to R16 are located in their operative end positions and prevent the pulling of the yarn in the undesired direction. The riders R17 and R18 are moving toward their operative positions. The riders R19 to R36 are as yet located in their initial positions in front of the yarn which extends between them in the form of a straight line.

It was found through actual practice that it is advisable to operate one cam at a time, so that the cams will be actuated consecutively. This eliminates excessive tension of the yarn on its way from the yarn guide and to the knitting elements of the machine. Through the use of a double plate the looping of the yarn is effectively avoided, since the yarn cannot be moved out of the set slot.

All the threads which are withdrawn from the sp,ools and are guided through the machine for the formation of the knitted goods, pass through the double plates, and

in the slot of these plates wave-like lengths of tensionless yarn are deposited one after the other to provide a supply of yarn for subsequent knitting. The yarn engaging members which pull the yarn from the yarn spool Y, move along the same path and with the same speed, irrespective of the amount of the yarn required for the formation of the individual courses of stitches, which may vary greatly. The possibility of providing an undesirable supply of yarn, such as too great a supply, is entirely eliminated even when the rows of stitches which are being formed, are quite short, or when the yarn guide G stands still. The reason for this is that then the yarn engaging elements will move between previously formed waves of yarn which has not been withdrawn, and will not pull a new length of yarn from the yarn spool Y. If only a part of the deposited wave-like length of yarn is withdrawn by the stitch forming elements, only this withdrawn amount will be pulled by the yarn engaging members from the yarn spool Y.

This has the advantage that, for example, it is not necessary to consider the narrowing in the manufacture of stockings, as is necessary in prior art methods. Only that length of yarn is always removed from the yarn spool Y which has been used up so far. The length of the yarn withdrawn from the yarn spool Y and lying loosely in waves must be such that it is at least sufiicient to cover the requirement for the yarn when knitting the longest course of stitches. It is advisable to provide a substantially greater length of yarn, so that the available supply of tensionless yarn will be greater than the require ment of the yarn for the longest course of stitches.

It is apparent that the operation of the device is not limited to the described ratio of :220. The operation of the riders may be varied by suitably setting the cams E1, E2 etc. and thus adapted to different requirements and conditions.

It is advisable to provide upon the cam surfaces of the cams E1, E2 etc. a dead angle which, in the example illustrated, amounts to 30 upon the cam drum. While the rollers O are moved within the range of the dead angle upon the cam surfaces, the riders remain in'their initial positions. This provides an opportunity for the knitter to thread the yarn easily, thereby facilitating considerably the supervision of the operation of the machine.

If drives other than those illustrated are used, the desired dead angle can be provided with other means known in the art.

Advantageously, the plates P1 and P2 between which the yarn is located, are made of a transparent material, thereby facilitating the supervision of the operation of the device.

An important advantage of the described invention resides in the fact that the formation of the stitches, particularly in the knitting of stockings, is made uniform. A further advantage is the possibility of using higher operational speeds without endangering delicate yarn. Stockings knitted by the device of the present invention when leaving the machine have the same length and are completely symmetrical, which is particularly effective for the proper formation of high heels of stockings.

It is apparent that the example shown above has been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that it is subject to many variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering said yarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, and means connected with said yarn engaging members for reciprocating pairs of said yarn engaging members in succession in said slots to cause said yarn engaging members to withdraw yarn from said yarn spool and place it in wave-like formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said other plate has a slot extending perpendicularly to said parallel slots for receiving the yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool.

3. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering said yarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, and means connected with said yarn engaging members for reciprocating pairs of adjacent yarn engaging members in opposite directions in said slots and reciprocating said pairs in one-by-one succession in said slots to cause said yarn engaging members to withdraw yarn from said yarn spool and place it in wavelive formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

4. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering said yarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarnspool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel. slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, and means connected with said yarn engaging members for reciprocating groups of yarn en gaging members simultaneously and reciprocating said groups in one-by-one succession in said slots to cause said yarn engaging members to withdraw yarn from said yarn spool and place it in wave-like formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

5. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering saidyarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, and means connected with said yarn engaging members for reciprocating groups of yarn engaging members in one-by-one succession and reciprocating pairs of yarn-engaging members of each group in succession in said slots to cause said yarn engaging members to withdraw yarn from said yarn spool and place it in Wave-like formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

6. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering said yarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, and means connected with said yarn engaging members for reciprocating pairs of said yarnengaging members in succession in said slots while maintaining other yarn-engaging members in opposite ends of the slots to cause a withdrawal of yarn from said yarn spool and place it in wave-like formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

7. In a knitting machine, in combination with a yarn spool and stitch forming means, a device for withdrawing yarn from said yarn spool and delivering said yarn to said stitch forming means, said device comprising two plates located one above the other, one of said plates having a surface for supporting yarn withdrawn from said yarn spool, the other one of said plates having a plurality of parallel slots, yarn engaging members movable in said slots, rods carrying said yarn engaging members, wires connected with said rods, arms connected with said wires, rollers connected with said arms, cams actuating said rollers and a single driving shaft carrying said cams, said cams actuating said rollers to cause pairs of adjacent yarn engaging members to reciprocate in opposite directions in said slots and to reciprocate said pairs in one-by-one succession in said slots to cause said yarn engaging members to withdraw yarn from said yarn spool and place it in wave-like formation upon said surface, said yarn extending from said surface to said stitch forming means.

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